Implant Supported Crown
For some patients, Dr Hutto may recommend a dental implant supported crown. This constitutes a single post implanted into the jawbone to replace the root, with a life-like dental crown attached to replace the visible portion of the tooth.
Unlike with a bridge, fitting an implant and crown means we can replace a single lost tooth without having to alter or remove any nearby healthy teeth. By preserving your healthy teeth, the implant restoration will help you to better protect your long-term dental health.
In this case, the dental implant is one single titanium-coated threaded cylinder that is placed into the supporting jawbone by our dental professionals. This is a relatively simple procedure. Only local anesthetics are needed and the procedure involves minimal discomfort afterwards.
Depending on how well the healing process has gone, a period of 3-6 months will be needed to allow the implant to integrate (or fuse) with the surrounding bone structure. During the healing process, and for cosmetic reasons, you may wear a temporary appliance to fill the gap left by the missing tooth.
Restoring your missing tooth in this way means that after the process is finished, your tooth will look completely natural. Also, because the implant can support a normal ‘load force’, just like a natural tooth, chewing function will not be compromised and you can carry on with a normal diet and oral health care without worrying about the implant supported crown.
Fitting an implant supported crown has one further advantage in that it takes away the need to grind down nearby teeth, something which is needed when fitting a bridge. Sometimes, the grinding process can lead to the need for further treatment on the adjacent teeth. This will not be the case when fitting an implant.
